Fast-track colorectal surgery

In recent years, fast-track surgery has been attracting more and more attention; however, many people remain concerned about the safety and effectiveness of fast-track colorectal surgery. In this paper we discuss how the main components of fast-track colorectal surgery (no routine mechanical bowel preparation, epidural anaesthesia or analgesia, laparoscopic operation, early removal of nasogastric tube and drainage tube, early postoperative oral feeding) affect the incidence of postoperative complications. Meanwhile, we evaluate the effectiveness of fast-track colorectal surgery in terms of shortened length of hospital stay, facilitated recovery, reduced insulin resistance, and better preserved immune function. Besides, we summarize the difficulties confronted during the implementation of fasttrack colorectal surgery. We conclude that fasttrack colorectal surgery is a safe and effective approach that deserves to be popularized in clinical practice.